Waterbury evening Democrat., 1887-12-07

It is also said that the increase in the price of domestic manufactures resulting from the present tariff is necessary in order that higher wages may be paid to our working men employed in manufactories, than are paid for what is called the pauper labor of Europe. All will acknowledge the force of an argument which involves the welfare and liberal compensation of our laboring people. Our labor is honorable in the eyes of every American citizen; and as it lies at the foun- dation of our development and progress, it is entitled, without affectation or hypocrisy, to the utmost regard. The standard of our la borers life should not be measured by that of any other country less favored, and they are entitled to their full share of all our advan- tages.
 By the last census it is made to appear that of the IT, ,392, ,099 of our population engaged in all kinds of industries 7,670, 493 are em- ployed in agriculture, 4,O74, ,238 in profes- sional and personal service C, ,934, ,876 of whom are domestic servants and laborers), while 1,S1O, ,258 are employed in trade and trans portation, and 3,S37, 112 are chased as em- ployed in manufacturing and mining.
 For present purposes, however. tho last number given should be considerably re- duced. Without attempting to enumerate all, it will be conceded that there should be deducted from those which it includes 375, 143 carpenters and joiners, 2S5, ,4O1 milliners, dressmakers and seamstresses, 172, 726 black smiths, 133, 756 tailors and addresses, 1O2 473 masons, 76, ,241 butchers, Al 1909 bakers, g 0S3 plasterers and I. S91 engaged in manrfactur ing agricultural implements, amounting in the aggregate to 1,214, ,02a, leaving 2,623, ,089 persons mployed in such manufacturing in- dustri as are claimed to be benefited by q high tariff.
 To these the appeal is made to save their employment and maintain their wages by resisting change. There should be no dis position to answer such suggestions by the allegation that they are in minority among those who labor, and therefore should forego an advantage in the interest of low prices for the majority; their compensation, as it may be affected by the operation of tariff laws, should at all times be scrupulously kept in view, and yet with slight reflection they will not overlook the fact that they are con- sumers with the rest; that they, too have their own wants and those of their families to supply from their earnings and that the price of the necessaries of life as we'll as the amount of their wages will regulate the measure of their welfare and comfort.
 But the reduction of taxation demanded should be so measured as not to necessitate or justify either the loss of employment by the working man nor the lessening of his wages; and the profits still remaining to the manufacturer, after necessary readjust- ment, should furnish no excuse for the sacri- flee of the interests of his employees either in their opportunity to work or in the diminu- tion of their compensation. Nor can the worker in manufactures fail to understand that while high tariff is claimed to be necessary to allow the payment of remun- erative wages, it certainly results in very large increase in the price of nearly all sorts of manufactures which, in almost countless forms, he needs for the use of himself and his family. He receives at the desk of his employer his wages, and per baps before he reaches his home is obliged, in purchase for family use of an article which embraces his own labor, to return ill the payment of the increase of price which the tariff permits, the hard earned compensation of many days of toll.
 MANUFACTURERS URGED TO COOPERATE.
 These interests constitute leading and most substantial element of our national greatness and furnish the proud proof of our country's progress But if in the emergency that presses upon us our manufacturers are asked to surrender something for the public good and to avert disaster their patriotism, as well as grateful recognition of advan- tages already afforded, should lead them to willing cooperation. No demand is made that they shall forego all the benefits of gov ernmental regard, but they cannot fail to be admonished of their duty, as we'll as their enlightened self interest and safety, when they are reminded of the fact that financial panic and collapse, to which the present con- dition tends, afford no greater shelter or pro- lection to our manufacturers than to our other important enterprises. Opportunity for safe, careful and deliberate reform is l now offered; and none of us should be un- mindful of time when an abused and irri- tated people, needless of those who have re- sisted timely and reasonable relief, may | insist upon radical and sweeping rectifca- | tion of their wrongs. ..-s, The difficulty attending wise and fair revision of our tariff laws is not underesti- mated. It will require on the part of the congress great labor and care, and especially broad and national contemplation of the subject, and patriotic disregard of such local and selfish claims as are unreasonable and reckless of the welfare of the entire | country.
 Under our present laws more than 4, 900 | uIl1CI0S dt0 ouOJCCo VO uuIJ. OA1uy VI do not in any way compete with our own manufactures and many ara hardly worth attention as subjects of revenue. A consid- erable reduction can be made ill the aggre- gate, by adding them to the free list. The taxation of luxuries presents no features of hardship; but the necessaries of life u:ed and consumed by all the people, the duty upon which adds to the cost of living ii every home, should be greatly cheapened.
 The radical reduction of the duties imposed 1 upon raw material used in manufactures ol
 it's free importation, is, of course, an i'm. portant factor in any effort to reduce the
 price of these necessaries; it would not only
 relieve them from the increased cost caused
 by the tariff such material, but the man.
 ufactured product being thus cheapened
 that part of the tariff now laid upon suct product, as compensation to our manufac
 turers for the present price of raw material
 could be accordingly modified. Such re
 duction, or free importation, would serve
 beside to largely reduce the revenue. It il
 not apparent how such change can hay,
 any injurious effect upon our manufac
 turers. On the contrary, it would appear t, l give them better chance in foreign market
 with the manufacturers of other Countries
 who cheapen their wares by free material
 Thus our people might have the opportunit,
 of extending their sales beyond the limits o